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 Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2011 5:45 pm
Miroslav was disturbed - and rightly so. It seemed as though the state of the pride had fallen further than he had expected, to the point where young Nobles were openly conversing with commoners, where said commoners became brazen enough to approach Elsinore itself to seek out their Noble acquaintances. How dare they! The cliff was the rightful home of purple-pelted lions, and that others had the nerve to set foot upon it was absolutely deplorable.
The purple lion imagined the pale blue Player he had come across, and he imagined him returning in search of that lovely Noble lass, and a shiver shook his spine. No, no, he simply could not allow that to happen - but how? To confront Raziela Liron directly would be to inform her that her little... friend had been by, and that, Miroslav was certainly not willing to do. It didn't occur to him that he might be butting needlessly into the business of others - for all business involving the Noble class was his business, and it was his duty, nay his right, to protect his fellow nobility from their own folly.
But there had to be another way. The purple lion considered his options. The King certainly was not the way to go. Bwana's tolerance for the lowlier creatures of the pride was shocking, to say the least, and Miroslav had no doubt that the other would be no help.
So the girl's family, then. Miroslav thought that the best option. He had heard nothing but good about the young lioness' mother, who he imagined to be proper nobility in mindset as well as color. He anticipated that his news - his friendly alert - would prompt Maua to take some sort of action against her daughter's reckless behavior.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:52 am
 Maua had found herself with a bit of free time this morning - which was just as well considering the slight bulge growing in her stomach. Growing cubs was hard work - especially with those two orphans running about once in a while. She'd shuffled them off to the nanny today however and unlike her own cubs felt no sense of guilt about it. They were common cubs after all and it was proper that they spent time with all the other common cubs. It wasn't like they had to bother with the education she had taught her oldest litter...and would teach her newest once they were born. Why she'd only taken them in to please the King in any case and as soon as they were old enough she'd see to it that they knew they're proper places in the pride.
Lazily licking a paw as she pondered these thoughts she nearly failed to noticed the brightly purple lion picking his way towards her den. Miroslav she knew his name to be and she recalled that he had only recently returned to the Pride after leaving with the old King' death, she even vaguely recalled that he had been at one time a member of the war council...though she had been quite young at the time. It was too bad that he wasn't still on it...clearly he was coming to speak about something and it would have been a nice opportunity to bring his attention to Zamba her own son with similar ambitions.
Of course such thought brought Maua back to the present and some small amount of curiosity - just why precisely was he coming to speak with them? Perhaps he wanted Kivuli, had Kivuli made such a prestigious and wondrously colored friend while she wasn't looking? She didn't think so - though she would praise him deeply if she found it to be the case. Rising gracefully to her feet as he drew closer - and ever so thankful that her condition still allowed her to do so - she dipped her head respectfully in greeting. "My Lord Miroslav" She greeted him once he was close enough so that she didn't have to raise her voice - shouting welcomes across huge expanses was something the heathens down in the forest did. "Welcome"
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:00 am
He was delighted (as delighted as any bearer of ill news could be) to find Maua at home and resting. The news of her pregnancy had spread, and though she seemed early enough in her term not to be showing much fatigue, one could still barely make out her growing stomach. And she had started to take on that pregnant glow, which only infused him with a sense of hope. Children born to this beautiful lioness could only grow up to be proper Nobles.
Or... mostly proper, anyway. It took more than a glimpse of the future to make Miroslav forget the purpose of his visit today, and it was an unfortunate one at that. He almost regretted having to report such undesired findings to Maua, but it was all for the best, and both she and her pretty daughter would thank him one day. Of that, he was certain.
"Ah, my Lady," he returned her greeting with a broad smile. Working with nobility was practically his life's job, and his previous position on the war council attested to his political mind. A bright smile was just one of those weapons that could be wielded with care, and a well-practiced one was neither too shallow nor overly friendly. "I thank you dearly for your hospitality, and I must say, you are looking every inch the graceful lady, despite your upcoming litter. May I offer my congratulations?"
Being back in the company of such refined, civilized lions as Maua was certainly a welcome respite from the commoners he had seen running about, as well as the time he had spent away from the pride. Common riffraff everywhere, and not a single one of them trained to be decent creatures! This, this was almost heaven in return.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:10 am
Why he had quite a handsome smile now didn't he? Maua thought to herself as he turned not only that charming smile upon her but flavored them with words that made it all the more welcome. Polite thats what he was, polite and not afraid to articulate his words - a skill the commoners might consider taking to heart someday, aside from the players (who really didn't count as they were jut spouting off memorized lines) listening to the rabble speak was akin to listening to her slave screech and squawk in the avian tongue - alien and grating.
"I fear only that we cannot do you justice here in our humble abode" She told him with a warm smile "And such sentiments are greatly appreciated by both myself and Kivuli" She told him - mustn't forget to add him, Kivuli lacked a great deal of purple on his body and so had to work a good deal harder to earn respect then some of the others. It never hurt to make him known to lions such as Miroslav, although and she always mused this quietly to herself...Kivuli did have more purple on him then the queen did. Dangerous thoughts that she knew she should never voice of course but it was a thought which soothed her whenever his lack of purple distressed her as it was like to do in the presence of such a beautifully coated beast. This was of course not the best time for such thoughts.
"Please come within and enjoy the cooler shade, it's dreadfully hot out today" She invited him sure that he would broach whatever subject had brought him to her den in good time.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 5:10 pm
"Several years have I spent away from these lands," Miroslav said honestly, with a disapproving shake of his head. "I doubt that your home is humble in any form, but if it was, it would still be a welcome change." And someday, he would tell somebody that story, the one of his days spent as an unappreciated rogue. They had been dark days, but still, he had survived to tell the tale, and it was certainly a tale worth telling.
But that would be for another day. More pressing matters required his attendance, and in a meeting that should be so centered on his news, it would have been a travesty to launch into his own life story. Though no doubt, Maua would have listened to it if he had deemed it an appropriate moment to tell her. She was a fine example of what proper etiquette was, after all.
He gave a small nod as he recognized Kivuli to be the name of her mate. Though he was more familiar with Maua's reputation as a true and proper Noble, he understood her mate to be a rather outstanding fellow as well, and a hard worker when it came to currying favor to make up for his unfortunate lack of purple. Well, no matter. Purpleness was certainly the greatest factor of one's nobility, but in the absence of generous amounts of it, dedication was to be commended as well.
Thanking Maua for her invitation into the den, Miroslav ducked into the shade, taking the opportunity to begin formulating his next words. "I am loathe to be the bearer of ill news," he began, turning back to face the lioness. "And I understand that perhaps what I am to say next may not be the most welcome, but I thought if for the best that I talk to you.
"The young are still young, after all, and mistakes are only to be expected. But mistakes also require correction, so I imagine the only way that might come to pass is for it to come to light. Somebody must be made aware, after all." Miroslav allowed a carefully timed pause, allowing what could only be described as his introduction some time to sink in. It was a tactful little pause that any experienced Player would have commended.
"I understand, also, that perhaps my understanding of the situation is not quite thorough, but only the other day, I noticed a commoner prowling about Elsinore - a Player, he said he was - and he claimed to be in search of one of your daughters, Raziela Liron." Again, Miroslav paused. "I bade him leave, but... as I do not quite understand the minds of commoners, I cannot guarantee that he will not be back."
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:26 pm
Maua merely gave him a warm look as he responded, to do anything else would have been to make argument of a compliment and really there was no point to doing something like that. Of course his next words gave her some pause, it seemed that he was to be the bearer of ill news...had someone found out about Pur's indiscretions? Or had Nyota traveled back merely to make trouble? Perhaps Kivuli himsef had spoken out against the wrong noble - though surely he was smarter then that.
In any case she stilled for a few moments before composing herself again, waiting for him to continue on with his news and it seemed that it was indeed one of her young that had caused some sort of trouble though he had yet to mention exactly which one. When it was Raziela who was mentioned Maua was ..well quite shocked to be honest, of all her children that was one name she had not expected to hear.
Of course once the shock had faded a strange combination of sorrow and anger et in - sorrow because she ought to have seen this coming with Raziela's strange obsession with the players..and anger at the audacity this particular player showed in daring to come up the mountain to speak with her daughter - or to speak with her outside the proper situations at all. "I'm afraid that Raziela has always had a bit of a fascination with the theater and it's players" She confided to the other lion "Though I was unaware that she was friendly with them rather then simply admiring they're skill at story telling as is proper".
"I shall speak with her of course...ensure that she knows how incredibly improper such a situation is..and put a stop to this seemingly budding friendship before it goes any further!" Why she was positively distraught at the thought of such a thing happening, she had birthed her children into wonderful lives...could they not just settle down with proper lions and take advantage of it like every other noble? "I am deeply grateful that you took time out of your, no doubt, busy day to bring me such news - though saddened that there was cause for it"
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:31 am
Miroslav nodded gravely. It was always a shame to have to watch children set themselves on a road of poor choices, especially when it came to such well-off children. From what the purple lion understood, Maua had not had it easy with her first litter. The sneaking rumors he had heard had involved stories of a particularly beautifully-purple lioness rejecting the traditional ways of the Suka'Fumo nobility entirely. Such a shame. And now this. Miroslav almost wondered if he had made the right choice, until the voice in his head firmly quashed such queries.
Of course, it had all been for the best. Even so, the obvious shock that seized the poor lioness made him think, not for the first time, that all children ought to be more grateful and respectful of their parents' hard work. Educating them was no simple task, after all, and then they had to go and throw it all away by gallivanting with commoners. It was downright shameful behavior, and Miroslav couldn't help but pity poor Maua for having to put up with it. He shuddered to think what might have happened if he had been placed into her shoes.
"Well, Lady Maua, a proper appreciation for theater has never led a soul wrong, I believe, but I do agree that befriending the Players is rather excessive." He shook his head sympathetically. "It was only right of me to do so. To allow a child to continue making mistakes when she could so easily be protected from them would be reckless and irresponsible. But I do hope you realize, Lady Maua, that this could have been no fault of your own. As I said earlier, all children make mistakes, and always it falls on the parents to correct them."
He couldn't have her thinking that he blamed her in any way. To do so would potentially be to cost himself an ally - which he needed, if he was to make any headway in turning the nobility back to the old ways of the pride.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 8:40 am
Maua released a deep sigh as the other lion spoke -she owed him really for bringing this to her attention before another of her daughters managed to bring shame upon her house - it was hard enough really ,she had become involved with Kivuli out of love but no one could argue that she'd married just a touch below her rank and she'd spent allot of time currying favors to regain it. She'd thought Nyota might well be her big chance but her daughter had all but dashed those hopes..Pur and Raziela seemed determined to do the same, though she had hopes that Pur would return and learn from her mistakes, and she had a chance to turn Raziela from such a fateful path still. Not all was lost with her first litter - Zamba and Gali seemed to be doing well enough.
"Thank you Lord Miroslav, for both your kind words now and for stopping what might have been a dreadful mistake on my daughters behalf" Maua told him earnestly before giving him a wan smile, she didn't feel the need to tell him that she owed him - he was a noble and surely he knew that already, such honorable trading of favors was commonplace "While trying on my nerves I expect should they make mistakes it is better they do so while still young" She admitted and here she was about to start all over again - ah well, her second litter would be better. She just knew it.
Of course she'd have to handle this situation on her own - Kivuli would see no problem with their daughter consorting with players, he had far to much trust in they're daughters ability to know right from wrong. Maua knew other wise - if she didn't n** this in the bud right away who knew what might happen.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 4:18 pm
"I simply did what any honest lion would have done," he said with a feigned humility. For doubtless, he understood full well that Maua and Kivuli were now indebted to him. He could say honestly that it had not been the main reason behind his visit, but exchanging favors was always a bonus. There was much to be gained in this unspoken system of reciprocity, and Miroslav, who considered himself the quintessential Noble, was certainly not one of let up such opportunities.
"I only wish this had come at a more convenient time. I understand how trying such circumstances and can, and the last thing I would want would be for you to overwork yourself, Lady Maua," the purple lion added, shaking his head. Though any commoner used to the rigors of a profession might have blinked and wondered how much work it was to speak to a young lioness, it certainly weighed heavily on Miroslav's mind. It appeared that Maua would have to confront Raziela, and such exertions were no business for pregnant lionesses.
"And now, perhaps, my lady, I must take my leave. I wish I could stay longer." He said with a small, polite bow of his head. There was really nothing for him to do besides alerting Maua of her daughter's alliance with the Players, but there seemed to be some benefit in seeming busy. His free time was not something that he supposed should be flaunted. "Do take care of yourself, Lady Maua," he added as he turned toward the den opening.
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Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 5:04 pm
Of course he had and one would expect nothing less from a lion of his great stature and regard. That is what it was to be in the company of nobles rather then the common rabble - some things you could just put your trust in. Like the knowledge that your fellow nobles would bring you news like this should they come across it - even i it was only to curry favor or gain alliances, the system worked and she for one was glad that it did.
"Have no worries my Lord, I'm sure Raziela will not seek to cause me any more distress" She told him grimly and yes she did indeed plan to use her condition to help keep her daughter in line - one used the tools they had available to them and she was sure a plea to behave for her mothers health would do the trick.
"Of course Lord and please..do feel free to come back when you have the chance, despite the news I always enjoy the company of proper Noble beasts" She bade him farewell with the invitation for the future and a slight duck of her head. once he was on his way..well she'd have to go off and find her daughter now wouldn't she.
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